All because of a camera
by NomNomInc
Summary: Challenge response to anitahailey. Really late though .-. Lancer finds out something he isn't supposed to when he confiscates a camera. How will Danny take it? And more so how will his parents take it? T for cursing in later chaps
1. Chapter 1

Challenge response to anitahailey. It's really late though .-. Phantom Planet hasn't happened so Danny isn't revealed yet. And now Danny's a sophomore.

I don't own Danny Phantom.

Small reference to a nosy little nerd from Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

I don't own CoVT (cuz I'm paranoid)

Ch.1

Mr. Lancer tried his hardest to ignore the sore pain in his lower back. He was walking through one of the school halls to his class ready to start his next class after a very tiring conference with one of his student's parents. The student being Daniel Fenton. The parent being his father…Lancer wished it would have been Danny's mother who had come. She seemed like the stricter parent. Talking to Mrs. Fenton probably would have been more productive. Half way through the meeting Mr. Fenton started babbling about ghost. It wasn't till the overweight man started accusing Mr. Lancer of being a ghost that he ended the meeting. Honestly, he thought the odds of ending up with one of his previous students from when he taught solely English I was slight now that he was teaching English I for his first two blocks and English II for his last two blocks after his lunch and planning, but surely enough the educator was landed with many of his old students. Those being Daniel Fenton and his two friends and some of those who were called the A-listers.

Walking down the hall Lancer looked through the hall length long window overlooking the back field to the school. There was only a hand full of halls with windows like this, but the rest over looked the school parking lot or the streets of Amity Park. Lancer frowned seeing one student at the end of the hall looking through a rather expensive yet tattered and used camera. He stopped in front of the young freshman. He recognized the slightly nerdy withdrawn student from his first period class. He almost felt sorry for the boy. He was pick on much like he had seen Danny getting bullied last year if not more, but this boy didn't have friends from what Lancer knew of. He gave off this odd discomforting feeling that intensified if he was actually looking at you.

"Mr. Poe, you know the school rules. No electronics during school hours," Mr. Lancer scolded placing his hand out for the student hand him his camera. Once he complied Lancer spoke again, "After school, you can come and pick it up. If I see you again with it during school your parents will have to come for it, understood?" With a nod, the awkward boy left going up some nearby stairs.

Giving a sigh, Lancer continued to his class room.

* * *

_One more class…_ Lancer thought dully as students exited and entered his class room. Lancer rubbed his face over looking his students, much were from his last year's English class. He noted how much a number of his students had changed. Valery had had gotten an athlete's body and sported it well. Paulina seemed even more infatuated with the world hero Danny Phantom, and now, she was an active leader in the school's Phan club manufacturing Danny Phantom products. He didn't see Dash or Star seeming as how they had to repeat their freshman year and ended up with other teachers. (I had to xD)

His eyes then landed on the last of most recognizable old students: Samantha Manson, Tucker Foley and Daniel Fenton. They seemed to have changed the most. Physically it was noted that they each got gotten toned over the summer, Danny more so than the his friends, which wasn't a surprise since after the Desateroid incident, they came out as being part of Team Phantom- from what citizens knew, was a small group of individuals including Danny Phantom who helped in hunting ghosts to keep Amity Park safe. Then there were the small differences. Sam and Danny had grown out their hair. Sam streaked her hair with purple, Danny would have to run his hand through his hair to keep it from his eyes on occasion. Tucker still had his original hair style but now he wore a red top which he would where even to city council meetings. Like Mr. Foley, Danny changed out his baggy white t-shirt for a red one or a black hoodie that had a DP symbol on it which he probably got from Paulina. But even through the physical changes there was still some underlining difference in the older teens. It was as if they'd matured. Samantha was a bit more cool headed about the school serving meat ever since they installed a salad bar. Tucker was more serious when he wasn't around his friends. Lastly there was Danny. Now, he wasn't bullied- showing how much of a better physique he had than last during gym class pushed off any bullies- and improving in his grades, but his attendance was still quite horrid.

Lancer stood starting the class with a lecture on the introduction of _Frankenstein._ After a half hour of going over the beginning of the novel Lacer passed out a handout reviewing the first three chapters of the book that the students were supposed to read for homework.

Sitting at his desk, he began grading last week's test on _A Separate Peace. _He didn't get very far into the papers, for a green blinking light coming from the corner of the desk caught his attention. It was the camera he had confiscated earlier. Mr. Lancer guessed that it was on and decided it'd be best to turn it off, so he picked it up and started looking for the power button. The painted on words indicating what each button was meant for were faded and with the old teachers vision it was impossible for this to be an easy task. Trying out one button brought up light to screen. It was a thumbnail for a video. As a thumbnail was a picture of Phantom in the school's back field and, by the angle and view, it was most like taken from the window Mr. Lancer had walked by. Pressing on another button got the video to start. It didn't make any sound so there was no urgency to immediately turn it off. At least that what the English teacher was thinking as he watch the video with interest.

_Phantom was covering the Fenton Thermos with its lid. From somewhere off the screen, came Sam and Tucker. The three conversed as Phantom stuffed the thermos into a back pack. A few moments past of just watching the three before the impossible happenoryed. A bright light emerged out of nowhere around Phantom's waist. The bluish white ring split in two going up and down until they evaporated at the top of Phantom's head and at his feet. But there where Phantom was standing was now Daniel Fenton. After a second, the video turned to the end of the hall where Dash was talking. He looked upset as he came toward the camera grabbing Eddie and wailing on him. The camera fell where it faced up at an odd angle, but Dash nor Eddie were in the shot. Suddenly Danny came into view apparently talking. He wore a face of displeasure. He walked forward and disappeared from view for a few moment until the view changed from someone picking the camera up. As the view flipped and shook from the movement Danny, his friends, Eddie and various parts of the hall were seen until they settled on the floor._

The video was cut. And Lancer then found the power button, turning off the camera. He looked up at Danny watching as the young man glanced from his book to his work scribbling things down.

Lancer blinked and it was as if everything clicked. Daniel Fenton was Danny Phantom. Well, that certainly explained a lot.

* * *

Yay! New story! This most likely won't be as long as my other fics.

hope you enjoyed!


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry for the long wait! And sorry for any misunderstandings but this is an AU fic so yeah.

Hope you like!

I don't own DP

* * *

Ch2

"Um…Mr. Lancer…You okay?"

"Huh?" Lancer grunted looking over sluggishly to the voice. He didn't even bat an eye when he saw it was Danny staying for detention. Yes, the boy still had detention because he was always late. Now that Lancer knew the reason though, he did feel a bit guilty in the beginning. But that was a week ago. During those seven days one would say Lancer was going down a path of no return.

That day he found out, he seemed calm and cool. He didn't react differently when the half ghost half human student 'went to the bathroom' without returning. Now when Danny returned sometime after with some excuse about it being taco Tuesday and 'when you had to go, you had to _go_.' He said nothing when Eddie awkwardly came to claim his camera. Not even when the student eyed him expectedly. Nothing. He was in complete apathy on his way home from the local grocery store, while he ate dinner while watching the local news, when countless reports of Danny Phantom this and that came about the teen hero, and as he settled into his bed. Completely unaffected.

And that's when the bomb went off. Up until this point Mr. Lancer had become the wreck that Danny was now fidgeting worriedly over. The man was his favorite teacher, and to see him in this state made him wince.

"You okay, Mr. Lancer?" Danny asked again more slowly and cautious.

Lance scrubbed his face with his hands for a moment sucking in a chest full of air before relaxing into his desk chair and releasing the held breath. "Yes. Yes. I'm fine, Daniel. Just have things on my mind."

"Oh…well how long is my detention today?" Danny asked shifting his weight from one foot to the other while glancing out the window behind Lancer's desk.

"You don't have to."

"What?" Danny was surprised. Since the starting of this year, Lance had been adamant about not letting him skip out on his punishments.

"I'm giving you the day off, or do you want to stay here for another hour to do that report due this Friday?" Lancer asked looking at Danny dully.

"Er. No, Sir. Thanks," Danny smiled walking swiftly into the school's corridor leaving the educator to his thoughts.

Lancer sighed trying to push away any thought of the young student. All that week his thoughts were haunted by Danny Phantom. (No pun intended.) The stress was over whelming. In about two days he had figured out who obviously knew Danny's secret how he had the Fenton thermos that Jack had always accused him of stealing. He wasn't sure if his parents knew though. Granted they always boasted their hatred for ghosts, but this was their own child. Also considering that they had practically became partners with Danny Phantom after the Disasteroid helped, but that still wasn't proof that they knew who their son was. And if they did, Eddie had proof that could reveal Danny's secret to the world if he wanted to, so it was to the upmost importance to tell them.

"Yes, important," Lancer muttered as he dialed the number he had already known by memory from the many previous phone calls he had to make over the year of Danny having detention so many times.

"Hello?" It was Mrs. Fenton which brought some relief to the teacher.

"Yes, Mrs. Fenton this is Mr. Lancer," Lancer started.

"Oh, what did our Danny do this time? Oh? Wait…." From the background on the phone Lancer could hear what sounded like a door opening and some sort of shuffling. "Danny? What are you doing here?"

"_Mr. Lancer let me off._" More shuffling was heard.

"Hm…." Maddie was heard over the phone.

"Mrs. Fenton, I wanted to discuss something about Daniel with you. It may not come to you as a surprise, but it might, so I want you to be prepared for what I'm about to tell you," Lancer felt sweat drip down the back of his neck. Was he really this nervous? He could be making a mistake by telling a ghost hunter that her son is a ghost…but on the other she was in some sort of an alliance with said ghost, and she might already know about her son's secret. He just had to remember why he was calling: there was evidence that showed Danny Phantom changing into Danny Fenton. If his student kept his secret for so long, and was a good guess that he wanted it to stay that way.

"I'm sure, I won't be surprised. What is it, Mr. Lancer?"

"Well…I don't know how to say it slowly, so I'll just say it bluntly," Lancer said. When there was no answer on the other end, it told him she was waiting, "Your son, Daniel Fenton….i-is Danny Phantom."

It was quiet. That silence that creates tight knots in your stomach in seconds and sends shivers of regret through your spine. Then in a monotone voice the mother questioned, "What?"

"Danny is-" Lancer couldn't continue.

Maddie Fenton had hung up.

* * *

Whoo! Hoped you liked.


	3. Chapter 3

So very sorry for the wait. Now just a heads up. I want to wrap this fic up in no more than three chapters. Sorry…but I originally was planning on that anyway…

But for the time being…Yay new chapter!

I don't own DP

Enjoy~

Ch. 3

Madeline Fenton stared down at the telephone not really looking at it. Her mind was racing recalling what she just heard.

'_You son, Daniel Fenton is…'_

"Danny Phantom…" she said shaking.

Suddenly the door bell rung making her jump uncharacteristically. She didn't move to get it, and it rung again. And again.

"Mom," Danny went down the stairs, "Who's at the door?" Danny popped his head into the kitchen raising an eyebrow at her. He blinked seeing her shocked expression. "Mom?"

The door bell rung again.

"U-uh," he looked at her worriedly, "I'm going to get the door. Be right back." And, he disappeared to get it. Maddie followed him slowly.

With each step, her mind each mystery that arose from her boy over the years started to resolve by the explanation that he was Phantom. _Can he really be Phantom? _In the beginning, he had started being so clumsy and jumpy. _He was probably still adjusting to his new ghost powers back then._ His grades had dropped. He was always so spacey._ Most likely thinking about a new ghost or worrying over his secret._ Half the time he wasn't even there. _Probably off fighting ghosts. _And, then, after the Disasteroid… maybe even a little while before that. He became more confident. _He must have started getting used to things. _More athletic. _I always wondered why the lab training system was always in use... _He seemed to be more aware of things. _Being Phantom has become second nature for him..._Though, his grades were still in the toilet. And, now….

She looked up at him. He was taller now, almost passed her height. He looked more mature. There was still something there that she still didn't know about, but she knew it was there. _Even as Phantom...he's still hiding something..._He actually looked like somewhat of a hero. _Danny,...you've been the ghost boy all along haven't you. _His face…was frowning?

Maddie looked over Danny's shoulder to see a short scrawny boy. He was looking at Danny a bit angrily.

"Hello," Maddie said, her motherly instincts coming in, "Is there something you needed?"

"Mom," Danny said sternly. She looked at him seeing his eyes fixated on the other boy's hand. She looked down and saw a camera. _A camera?_ "I'll only be a little bit." With that, he walked outside closing the door behind him.

_Could Danny be Phantom?_ A year ago, she probably would have rejected that notion. Back then, she thought all ghost were evil, but now… She knew that a lot of ghost were evil, but not all. Since the Disasteroid, the world's leaders had come to a truce with the few good ghost of the ghost zone. Phantom was one of them. And then, there was also to theory of ghost halfas that Jack and she-mainly she- had been working on ever since Vlad revealed himself to being half ghost. But, since their old college buddy was who knows where in space, the study was sort of at a standstill. Most ghost that they managed to talk to –which was rare- didn't know much about halfas or just didn't want to say. She had been actually thinking about asked Phantom since he was named ambassador or the ghost zone, and they would meet each other every so often to talk about more ghost findings. But, was it possible that Phantom was actually a so called halfa? Her own son?

Maddie rushed to the peep hole at the door seeing Danny talking to the small kid. She forwarded her brows, momentarily forgetting about her jumbled up thoughts. She was just about ready to step out when she saw the boy started yelling. She had her hand on the door nod at the ready when Danny swiftly reached at the boy. She tensed. Danny wouldn't hurt him, right? She watched tensed as Danny roughly grabbed the camera in the boy's hand.

_Camera? Why?_

Maddie watched as the disgruntled boy huffed and folded his arms across his chest. Danny messed around with the camera a bit until he got a video to play on the screen. From the angle, Maddie couldn't see the screen(and because she's looking through a peep hole), but she could tell that Danny didn't like what was playing. She forwarded her brows when Danny turned over the camera to eject the memory card from its side.

"Huh?" Maddie said unconsciously as Danny handed back the device but kept the memory card. Danny then proceeded to turn to the door as if going in. Maddie tensed, taking a step back before bolting into the kitchen.

She busied herself by trying to look like she was preparing dinner as she heard the two teen.

"You can't do that! It's mine!" she guessed that was the boy said upset.

"Tucker can get you a new one," Danny said nonchalantly, "It's your fault anyway. You shouldn't stick your nose where it doesn't belong, Eddie."

Maddie peered over her shoulder towards the voices.

"Well, maybe you should have hid that secret a little bit better," the other boy snapped.

_Secret_…Maddie bit her lip. She didn't like eavesdropping, but it wasn't exactly avoidable what with the volume of their conversation. Did this boy know about Danny being Phantom? Should she intervene?

She heard Danny, "Heh, I don't really care all that much. If people find out, I won't mind."

The other boy growled, "Then why hide it?"

She heard Danny again with his laid back tone, "Force of habit."

_It's now or never_. Maddie strode out of the kitchen, "Danny, do you and your friend want a snack?"

She walked over to the two boys. The boy, Eddie, glanced up at her. He gave one last glare at Danny before stalking over to the door and leaving. Maddie looked down at the memory card in Danny's hand.

"What was all that about?" Maddie asked motherly.

"Oh," Danny blinked turning to her, "Nothing, just a little misunderstanding."

Maddie raised an eyebrow placing her hands on her hips. He was hiding it. "Why did you take that boy's memory card?"

Danny blinked again caught, "U-uh. He took some picture of Sam and me on one of our dates. It's kind of creepy."

Maddie crossed her arms, "So you took the memory card from him? That wasn't very nice. Why didn't you just ask him to delete them? I thought I taught you better Danny."

Danny waved his hands in front of him, "No, no. I did ask him. He just didn't want to."

Maddie frowned, "Ok." Danny relaxed some, "So, what was he talking about a secret?" Danny visibly froze, "It's no secret that you and Sam are together. And whatever this secret is, why is it a habit that you hide it?"

"Eh," Danny stammered, "U-uh…"

Maddie sighed, "Danny," she looked at him sadly, "I thought, we would tell each other anything."

"We do!" He yelped then looked down it's just, "It's just…"

Suddenly, again, the doorbell rang. Maddie frowned walking over to open the door. Danny followed shortly after. He was prepared to have it be Eddie again, but he was caught off guard when at the door was a panting Mr. Lancer.

"Mr. Lancer?" Danny raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing here?"

* * *

Yay new chapter! hope you liked it!


End file.
